Electron spin resonance study of γ-irradiated poly(acrylic acid)

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) γ-irradiated in air at room temperature and recorded at room temperature and at liquid-nitrogen temperature have been studied to identify the radiation products. The ESR spectra are composed of eight lines with hyperfine splittings of 23 ± 1 G and 11 ± 1 G. The method of least-squares total curve fitting, employing the Lorentzian line shape function, to the observed spectra enabled the assignment of the spectra. Computed spectra obtained by the superposition of a singlet and the spectra due to chain radicals are considered to give the best fits to the observed ESR spectra. The singlet is assigned to the radicals COOH, and the component 10-line spectra are assigned to the chain radicals CH₃? CH? CH₂ ～ and/or ～ CH₂? CH? CH₂ ～. The observed change in line shape with temperature of the ESR spectra is attributed to the hindered oscillations of the methyl groups about the C_α? C_β bond axis of the chain radicals. The existence of the methyl groups is confirmed by the measurement of infrared absorption.     

BF3·Et2O and trifluoroacetic acid/triethyl amine-mediated synthesis of functionalized piperidines

A two-step short and efficient strategy for the synthesis of substituted piperidones and piperidines in high diastereoselectivity (only trans-configuration), by employing cascade type reaction using BF₃·Et₂O or by carrying out one pot deprotection of ^tBoc group followed by intramolecular aza-Michael addition of α,β-unsaturated beta keto esters has been developed. Using a similar strategy a short access to hydroxy pipecolic acid is also described. Very simple and rapid experimental procedures involving mild conditions and only one or two chromatographic purifications are the main features of the process.     

Selective lighting up of segments around Gly,Ala and Ser/Thr in proteins

Direct detection of ¹³C nucleus can be used as a valuable alternative where ¹H detection poses a challenge due to relaxation effects, chemical exchange and poor chemical shift dispersion. In this context, we have designed a suite of 2D ¹³C^α‐detected hNCA experiments that provide sequential correlations of ¹³C^α with ¹⁵N on one hand and efficient spectroscopic labeling of certain groups of residues, namely, Gly, Ala, Ser and Thr, on the other. These residues act as checkpoints in the sequential walk, which in turn offer new possibilities of backbone assignment of small proteins from a set of 2D experiments, thereby providing great economy in terms of spectrometer time. The direct identification of peptide segments around Gly, Ala, Ser and Thr residues along a protein chain will be highly valuable for deriving important information on sites of ligand binding, phosphorylation, inhibitor/substrate binding, understanding protein folding pathways, comprehending local conformational dynamics etc. without having to obtain complete sequence‐specific assignments, which can be time consuming and at times formidable, especially in large proteins. We have illustratively demonstrated the multifaceted applications of these variants of 2D experiments on ubiquitin and M‐crystallin. We foresee that these 2D hNCA experiments will provide economic and efficient strategies for studying the structure and function of proteins. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Symmetry breaking in quantum chaotic systems

We show, using semiclassical methods, that as a symmetry is broken, the transition between universality classes for the spectral correlations of quantum chaotic systems is governed by the same parametrization as in the theory of random matrices. The theory is quantitatively verified for the kicked rotor quantum map. We also provide an explicit substantiation of the random matrix hypothesis, namely that in the symmetry-adapted basis the symmetry-violating operator is random.     

X-ray fluorescence in some rare earth and high Z elements excited by 661.6 keV γ-rays

The K-shell X-ray fluorescence cross sections are determined experimentally for 10 elements such as Pb, Hg, Ir, W, Lu, Tm, Dy, Tb, Gd and Nd at excitation energy of 661.6 keV associated with γ-rays of ¹³⁷Cs radioisotope. The technique employed involves the measurement of total intensity of fluorescent K X-rays that follow the photoeffect absorption of a known flux of γ-rays using a well type Nal(Tl) detector. The obtained results are compared with the available theoretical values and other measured values.     

<Superscript>1</Superscript>H and <Superscript>19</Superscript>F NMR relaxation time studies in (NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>ZrF<Subscript>6</Subscript> superionic conductor

¹H and ¹⁹F spin-lattice relaxation times in polycrystalline diammonium hexafluorozirconate have been measured in the temperature range of 10–400 K to elucidate the molecular motion of both cation and anion. Interesting features such as translational diffusion at higher temperatures, molecular reorientational motion of both cation and anion groups at intermediate temperatures and quantum rotational tunneling of the ammonium group at lower temperatures have been observed. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation time results correlate well with the NMR second moment and conductivity studies reported earlier.     

Spectroscopic labeling of A, S/T in the 1H-15N HSQC spectrum of uniformly (15N-13C) labeled proteins

A new triple resonance two-dimensional experiment, termed (HC)NH, has been described to generate specific labels on the peaks of alanines and serines/threonines, separately, in the ¹H–¹⁵N HSQC spectrum of a protein. The performance of the pulse sequence has been demonstrated with a 151 residue protein. The method permits the investigation of local environments around those specific residues without actually having to obtain complete resonance assignments for the entire protein. With this one can envisage use of the technique for studying large protein systems from different points of view.     

Electronegativities in the calculation of diatomic molecular parameters (Hydrides of some transition elements)

The force constants for diatomic molecules and isolated bonds may be expressed by using equalized electro-negativities, bond orders, bond strengths and interatomicdistances. We have studied Mn¹H, Mn²H, Co²H, Ni¹H, Ni²H, Cu¹H, Cu²H, Ag¹H, and Ag²H and have determined the proportionality constant d, as well as the Lennard-Jones parameters a and b, for the potential energy functions used by Szöke and calculated the anharmonicity ω_eξ_e and the rotational-vibrational coupling constant α_e. The relation between electronegativity and ionization potential has been verified and the variations of molecular parameters with atomic number Z have been studied.